A/N at the end.

Same ages as last chapter…

Enjoy!

Chapter 37:

The Deed Gets Done

Alex reached over and took Olivia's left hand that was resting on her jeaned thigh and brought it to her mouth, kissing softly, "You're gonna be OK…you know that, right?" Alex brought their intertwined hands down onto the console, resting comfortably in between them.

The brunette turned, smiling, those cocoa eyes conveying all. Olivia nodded, "I know, Babe…I just…" Olivia turned again and looked out through the passenger window now, rubbing below her lip with her right hand, as she had always been known to do while intensely thinking, "…the sitting around…the not being able to do so many things, and…" she turned back to face her wife, her smiling increasing in width, "…I don't think we thought the staircase thing through…" Olivia began giggling.

Alex thought for a moment. Her wife was right. The stairs might be a problem, although her wife had seemed to have perfected the art of hopping around on one leg over the past week. Today was New Year's Eve and their orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Jonathan Glashow, surgeon extraordinaire to the sports stars, had offered to see them for his final appointment before his office closed for New Year's Eve and day. All they had to do now was discuss surgery day—January 2nd— and how everything would go, finalize plans.

With Alex driving, Olivia had the passenger seat all the way back, right leg extended straight, the brace strapped tightly to it, as the blonde turned left and they headed down Park Avenue. The brunette wore a pair of dark blue jeans and was bundled in her black, wool pea coat, black scarf and leather gloves on, as well. It had been unbearably frigid out the past month and the cold chill was difficult to shake, no matter where you went. Even in the car with the heat on full blast, Alex noted that Olivia was still shivering. Perhaps nerves were also a part of it.

"We'll figure it out, Liv…"

They pulled into a parallel parking space right in front of the office on Park Avenue, Alex looking at the building, glowing bright against the thick, overcast day. Snow was falling in sweeps all around with no chance of letting up any time soon.

"This is it, the place that my wife will get her new knee…" Alex smiled, both still looking at the building.

"Happy New Year to me…" Olivia said softly.

They sat for a moment, both just eyeing the structure—the windows of the office fogged up, a few people inside on the waiting room sofas, a receptionist and nurse at the desk.

"They're gonna cut and rearrange all kinds of things in there, Al…they're gonna use a piece of my hamstring tendon to reconstruct the knee…" the brunette offered.

Alex couldn't help but flare her nostrils and make a face. All of this talk about cutting and removing and blood and ligaments really made the blonde's stomach turn. But, this was her wife and she knew that Olivia felt the same repulsion when speaking of the specifics of the surgery. But Olivia needed to talk about it. Talking about it helped her deal with what was about to be. The brunette was comfortable enough with the procedure and they were both aware of the actual steps and what would be performed. But all Alex could think about was her wife, the scalpel, the actual act of cutting into her—hurting her to make her better.

Protecting her wife and being there for her were synonymous. If the surgery went wrong or Olivia had to have another to correct the first, the blonde would be beside herself. Putting Olivia through anything but a smooth, easy surgery and recovery wouldn't be acceptable to Alex. But, as referred to by Melinda, Jonathan, and her own father, Dr. Glashow was one of the best—if not the best—orthopedic surgeons in New York City, and Alex knew that her wife would be in the best hands.

The doctor had such accolades as performing ACL surgery on Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees, Lamarr Houston with the Chicago Bears, and Joseph "JT" Thomason of the New York Giants. He had been on CNN, CBS World News Tonight, and had already had articles published in the New Yorker displaying his expertise on sports medicine and orthopedics, in general.

"Only the best for my wife…surgery will only be an hour and a half and we'll be home by dinner, Babe…you ready to do this? Today, we finalize plans, Liv…"

Olivia smiled, still clenching her wife's hand. "Then, we drive to the beach house for New Year's Eve…then the kids will stay—" The brunette stopped herself. "Why am I giving a play-by-play of things you already know?"

"Because you're nervous, Liv…it's understandable. I am just as nervous, if not more so…" Alex offered.

"OK," Olivia whispered, looking into her eyes and trying a smile.

Alex nodded and cleared her throat lightly, "Yeah, my love…let's do this…then we can drive out there and spend New Year's Eve together…just relax in each other's arms…"

"I would love nothing more, Al…" Olivia smiled, "…let's go…"

The appointment had gone well. In fact, they were in and out of the office in less than an hour and were told to return on the second, Olivia told to wear comfortable clothing and for Alex to plan on staying for about five hours—time for prep, time for the operation, time to recover, and then time for the anesthesia to wear off. Olivia wasn't going completely under—only a strong sedative that would have her in a semi-twilight state, and she would be aware of everything happening. They would go in arthroscopically, and would only make three incisions—at the most four.

Now, four hours later, having driven the distance to the beach house, they were laying on the sofa in the downstairs study, elder Cabots on one end, Alex and Olivia on the other, all enjoying a glass of Merlot as they watched the festivities on TV, waiting for the Times Square ball to drop.

Alex had her arm around her wife, the brunette cuddled into her as best she could with her leg propped on the coffee table, once again, with pillows beneath and ice on top. The blonde's fingers danced lightly on the back of her neck as they sipped and chatted, waiting for the stroke of midnight. Grace was on the other side of Olivia, arm wrapped around her, their daughter always able to sense the apprehension that her mothers were feeling, ever in-tune to those underlying emotions that they both had.

Theo was at his friend Emmanuel's house—a friend since childhood and their stays in Southampton—a few other friends from the area there, as well—all eating pizza and playing video games—and he was expected back at one. Isabel was somewhere around the house, wanting to be there for the dropping of the ball, constantly coming in and asking if it had dropped yet.

"Are you ready, Olivia?" Mrs. Cabot asked before sipping her red wine.

"As ready as I can be…I just want to get it over with, Cathy…honestly…" she smiled.

Mrs. Cabot's eyes began tearing, "I know it must be hard for you…such an active person…having to take so long to recover…"

"Yeah…" Olivia looked at Alex, "…but I've got Alex and she's a pretty good nurse, I've found out over the years."

Cathy Cabot nodded, "She is…"

Now, on her tenth time to enter in an hour, Isabel came back in, once again. "Did they drop it? How long?" she asked, hands on her hips, staring at the TV.

"Not yet, Baby…we have about seven minutes. Come here…" Alex offered.

Isabel rounded the sofa and sat on the other side of Alex, the ladies now a twin sandwich. Ariana Grande was on the TV, singing and dancing across the screen, singing her latest hit about being treated right, hitting the high notes and performing in her typically dramatic form.

"See the countdown in the corner of the screen?" Alex questioned, kissing her daughter's cheek as she wrapped herself around her blonde mother.

Isabel nodded, content with the cuddle.

"I don't understand that music," Mrs. Cabot said with slight distaste in her tone. "Whine, whine, whine…and shake your hips, then whine some more…"

Alex felt Olivia giggle against her, "That's today's music, Cathy…not much substance at all…" The brunette looked at Alex and smiled.

"Yeah, like some of the music on your playlist?" Alex questioned, smiling at her wife.

"Well…I like variety…"

"Yes, you do…" Alex leaned in and kissed her wife gently before she reached forward for the bowl of popcorn they had popped for the occasion. She set it on her lap and grabbed a handful.

"I like her music…" Isabel offered.

"It's terrible," Grace said over the music. "She doesn't even play her own instruments."

"No, but she can sing…and if you can sing, like me…" Isabel looked up and into her mother's eyes, "…right Mom?"

"Absolutely, Baby…my songstress…"

"And she's really pretty, too…" Isabel offered.

Mr. Cabot chimed in, "Music used to be simple…a little Billy Holiday, a little Rosemary Clooney…those were singers."

"I agree, Bill," Cathy smiled at her husband, a moment of love passing between them.

But her father looked different to the blonde. Now in his mid-eighties, he was declining. Just in the short time that they had been there, she saw his slow movements, his careful steps, his uneven walking and shakiness that she had never seen before. It had been a few months since they had seen each other, been altogether once again, and Alex saw the deterioration in his body. His mind was there, ever alert, but she couldn't help but feel that time was passing by as she watched her parents get older.

Shaken from her thoughts, and feeling her eyes having been watering on their own volition, Alex smiled as Isabel scooted to the edge of the sofa.

"This is it!" she squealed.

In tandem, the family began counting backwards, the New Year on its way within seconds. "Ten, nine, eight, seven…"

Alex turned to Olivia still counting, "Six, five, four…"

The ball dropped and Alex continued to look into those cocoa orbs, smiling.

"One…" Olivia said softly. "Happy New Year, Al…"

Alex leaned in and kissed her wife gently, taking the time to relish in the soft feel of her lips. "Happy New Year, Liv…"

Hugs were had, kisses as well. Everyone making their way around, leaning over to kiss a seated Olivia and a seated Bill Cabot.

The Rolling Stones began singing about starting someone up, the Times Square crowd singing and dancing along with them, Mick Jagger's mouth as big as ever.

They brought in another year, ringing in the festivities as they had for the past sixteen years—another year celebrated—full of love and warmth as it had always been with the Benson-Cabots.

OOO

A knock on the door.

Olivia was sitting on the edge of the end of the bed, in her black, silk pajamas, flossing, while her wife was at the sink, rubbing a night moisturizer into her face, in her beige robe, pajamas underneath.

"Come in…"

The door opened slowly and their son appeared. "Happy New Year," he smiled, now entering.

"Hey, Theo…Happy New Year…" Olivia held her arms out to her son and he walked into them, leaning over and hugging his brunette mother tightly.

Alex came from the sink and hugged their son tightly, as well. "Happy New Year, Theo."

Olivia noted that he was almost as tall as Alex, the top of his head now grazed the bottom of the blonde's chin. He was wearing faded jeans, gray hiking boots, and a gray, cable-knit sweater, black blazer over it, his now-short-on-the-sides, long-on-top hair perfectly styled—ever the fashion plate.

When did he get so tall? Olivia wondered briefly.

"Did you have fun?" the brunette questioned, patting the space next to her.

Their son sat carefully. "Yeah…it was OK…same old, same old…" He looked down at the brunette's knee. "How is it?"

"Hanging in there, Theo." She smiled. "Tomorrow, your mom and I are leaving early and you'll stay here with grandma and grandpa until the fourth…then back to school on the fifth…"

"But I want to come back with you…" His blue eyes were almost pleading. "I want to come with you and be there with you for this…"

"I know, Baby…but your mom and I think it's better if I have a couple of days to recover, get settled, and not have you kids worry about me."

"But…you know we're gonna worry anyway, right?" he smiled.

Olivia nodded and Alex sat down on the other side of their son. She reached up and stroked the back of his hair, smiling at him.

"Your mama is going to be fine, Theo," Alex said softly before placing a kiss on his cheek. "Mama Cabot will be in the house…"

Theo laughed, "I don't doubt that…time for Mom to be your anything-you-want girl, right?" Theo grinned at Olivia.

"She always is…and you? You'll be my little helper, too, right? Although…little is no longer the right word to describe you, Baby…you're almost as tall as me and on your way to being as tall as your mom…" Olivia giggled.

Theo smiled, "I will help you with anything, Mama…" he kissed her temple softly, wrapping his arms around both of them.

"That's our boy…" Alex said softly.

AAA

"You said some pretty funny stuff, Liv…" Alex giggled.

They were on their way back home, after the surgery, all having gone well. Alex was able to watch the surgery from a two-way glass room, watching the procedure happen right in front of her eyes. They had to give the brunette extra laughing gas because she had been more than a little nervous as she went into surgery. So, they kept pumping her with it and she had been exceptionally hilarious from the time the surgery began up until now. Apparently it hadn't worn off yet and wasn't going to any time soon.

"Ahhhh!" Olivia said loudly before laughing wildly, "…how funny? Should I do stand-up?" Olivia's laughing now took on a wildness, her wife still filled with the anesthetic pain killers coursing through her body.

Olivia began cackling, her head back against the headrest. Her wife was absolutely feeling no pain. Alex couldn't help but smile and join in on the frivolity.

Alex reached over and caressed the back of her neck, "Awww, my Baby is so high…"

"What did I say?" Olivia continued laughing.

"You were talking about cows? Asking about the difference between beef cows and dairy cows? Then something about how they have sex and can dairy cows have sex with beef cows?" Alex divulged, eyes on the road as they made their way back home.

"I did?" Olivia voice was high-pitched, still in the midst of laughter. "They're pretty heavy and not very athletic…I just don't see how that mounting is comfortable for the girl…"

Alex shook her head, "We'll have to Google it, Babe…"

"How cows have sex dot com!" Olivia cackled before stopping suddenly. "Oooh, that sounds really good…I could go for a really juicy hamburger right now…no—a cheeseburger with onions and bacon and jalapenos and guacamole...mmmm…" Olivia turned slightly in her seat, her expression excited, "Let's stop and get a burger, Al…I haven't eaten anything since last night and I am starving!"

Alex then felt her wife's hand on her thigh, moving upward, attempting to land on her crotch. "Olivia!"

"What, Baaaabbbyyyyy?" Olivia leaned in and fluttered her eyes at the blonde, puckering a few times in the air. "It's just us now…no kids…" The brunette leaned in and kissed her neck softly, the maneuver causing her twist her body awkwardly. Yet, somehow, she did it.

"Jesus," Alex laughed. "You're in rare form…I almost want to film this…"

"Ooh…let me get my phone out!" Olivia offered, leaning forward and removing it from her purse on the floorboard. "Can we stop for that burger? Oh, and let's turn on 72nd…we can go by the old penthouse…just for old time's sake…it's right on the way to Bareburger," Olivia tried enticingly, her hand continuing to linger on her wife's thigh. "God, Al…remember how sexy we used to be? Jeez…" Olivia leaned back now, almost throwing herself against the seat, "…so sexy…we had sex all the time, Babe…remember?"

Alex smiled, "I remember…" Alex turned and smiled at her wife, "…it's forever engrained in my memory, Liv…OK…" Alex turned her right signal on, "…we'll pass the old penthouse and then get a couple of burgers to go and then we're going home, OK, Liv?"

Olivia nodded, "Jeez, my mouth is watering like crazy…whether it's the sex or the burgers, I can't be sure," Olivia removed her hand now and set up her iPhone, pointing it at herself and her wife. "Here we are…my sexy wife and I are about to roll by the old hood…"

"Yes, the hood…" Alex offered. "Such destitution we were living in…" the blonde flashed her best, charming grin into the camera.

Olivia giggled holding the camera and looking directly into the lens, "It's after surgery…about three hours…and my new knee has been constructed…and I feel good!" she shouted. "Dunna, nunna, nunna, nuh! I knew that I would now…dunna, nunna, nunna nuh!" Olivia pulled the phone away and began typing in something, "I'm gonna send it to the kids…" Her thumbs worked furiously away.

"Liv…I don't think—"

"There! Done!"

Alex only shook her head as she turned right on 72nd Street, pulling in front of their old abode. "Here it is, Liv…our old stomping grounds…" She put the car in park, letting the engine idle.

Olivia's face was serious now, her eyes beginning to tear, "I carried Theo here…" she sniffed, "…you gave me Hillary here…we were engaged here and newlyweds…" she whimpered, the brunette's mood having switched a one-eighty.

"I know, Liv…I know…" Alex's hand found the back of her wife's neck as they looked upward towards the top of the building.

The penthouse that they had once inhabited now had flower boxes on the balcony, a wrought-iron table and chairs, and Christmas lights strung along the railing, a little Jack Russell terrier looking down at them from fourteen floors up.

"I hope they're enjoying it as much as we did…" Alex said softly.

"Me, too…" Olivia declared, barely audible. The brunette turned to Alex now, "Let's get those burgers and go home…I'm tired, Babe…"

Alex reached out and cupped her wife's face gently, "OK, Liv…anything you want…"

Alex put the car in drive and pulled back into traffic, on her way to get her wife's desire and then head back home.

A couple of days later, Alex entered the bedroom and saw Olivia, laying on the bed, propped up with pillows, eyes glued on the TV that they had brought from downstairs just for her recovery, a goofy smile on her face, her mouth wide open in the grin. She was in a pair of black lounge pants and a tan, V-neck t-shirt, black cardigan on, hair in a messy bun, tortoise-shell glasses perched on her nose. Her knee was wrapped in a tight white gauze and the four small incisions seemed to be healing nicely. Still under painkillers at only two days later, she was feeling good once again, as she watched an episode of daytime Maury Povich, another classic episode about paternity results.

The brunette looked at Alex as she entered. "Hey, Babe…he's the father…look at that baby! Looks just like him. And he swears it's not his." Olivia shook her head. "Idiot…"

"Billy Rae Archer…you are the father…" Mr. Povich announced in his typically calm manner, holding his results card in front of him.

The chubby man on the screen was up, shouting, "Oh, hell no!" as he ripped his mic off of his flannel shirt and left the stage, the cameramen following him out of audience view and down the hallway behind the set.

"I knew it!" Olivia shouted.

"Hey, Liv…" Alex rounded the bed and sat next to her wife on the edge. "The kids just got back…Jonathan drove all the way to Southampton and back to get them…and dinner is ready…they have a surprise for you…"

Olivia looked at her, an almost bewildered expression on her face, "He drove five hours just to get our babies?"

Alex watched her expression change to extreme emotion, her lower lip trembling with feeling as she nodded.

What Alex didn't want to tell her wife was that the older Cabots couldn't make the trip to bring their grandchildren back to Manhattan, her father having fallen suddenly ill with a cold and Cathy Cabot having to stay there with him. She knew that the brunette would worry and, in her state, she didn't want any undue stress for her wife.

She had already spoken with her mother, when the older woman had called to ask about Olivia only a couple of hours earlier, about the physical state of her father—not much activity or movement in day-to-day routines. Alex had noticed and wanted to confront her mother on what she had observed in the brief time that they were there. She had questioned her mother about why she hadn't informed the blonde of her father's health, asking her why she had not been told of his frailness, his feebleness, and her mother had simply said it was just age, Dear, and that he was doing fine. Still as sharp as a tack.

However, as much as it killed Alex to know this fact, she knew it would hurt Olivia just as much, if not more so. William Cabot was like a father to the brunette, as well, and the news would shatter her, as it had Alex. But, for the sake of keeping those already rampant emotions in check through, at least, the beginning of her recovery and therapy, she opted to tell her wife at a later point in time.

"You ready to go down?" Alex offered.

Olivia smiled, turning the TV off with the remote and setting it on the bed, "Yeah, Babe…help me up?"

"Of course, Liv…" Alex stood now and placed her arm behind the brunette's back for leverage and took her left hand in her right.

"Kiss?" Olivia smiled.

Alex leaned over the brunette and kissed her gently, her wife's hands going to the back of her head, holding it lovingly.

"Mmmm…yes…perfect…" Olivia smiled. "Always perfect with the kisses…"

Alex helped her to a standing position and then took the crutches from their spot leaning against the wall and handed them to the brunette.

Olivia placed them underneath her arms and then they walked slowly out of the bedroom and down the hallway until they reached the top of the stairs.

"Something smells wonderful, Al…"

"One of your favorites and…like I said…there's a surprise, too…"

OOO

The stairs suddenly looked daunting to the brunette, like they were at an eighty-degree angle, having the steepness of an Aztec temple. She took a deep breath and took both crutches into her right hand. "Here…hold them, Al? I'm gonna hop it…"

"The doctor said you should sit and take one step at a time…I counted and there're sixteen…"

"Maybe we should just make a pulley for me…a nice little hammock on a rope…?" Olivia smiled.

"And who's gonna pull it, Liv? Me? Theo? The girls?"

"Me thinks all four of you would have to handle that one, Al…"

"Ahoy, Wonder Liv!" Jonathan's voice boomed from the bottom of the stairs, Casey and their girls coming into view right next to him, the red head smiling and clutching his bicep, Katie in front of her mother, and Kimberly on the other side of her father. "Or should I call you Bionic Liv, now?" he smiled.

"Hey, Liv," Casey welcomed.

"Aunt Olivia!" Kimberly smiled.

Katie was ever the quieter one as she looked on, up the stairs at her brunette aunt cautiously.

Olivia smiled, "Hey, guys…just…" the brunette hopped down one step, her foot almost slipping on the carpeted hardwood of the first step.

"Jeez, Olivia…no…uh-uh…" Alex's stern voice claimed. "Sit and bump…"

"I will not do that…" Olivia declared seriously. "At least not in front of people…" she smirked.

Within a matter of seconds, Jonathan had effortlessly breezed up the steps and was standing on the step just below her. "I'll get you…" he easily swept her into his arms, cradling her back and under her hamstrings gently, as she clasped her hands around his neck, the sudden movement so swift that she became slightly dizzy.

"There we go…" her burly brother-in-law offered, smiling.

"Why thank you…" Olivia fluttered her eyelashes and used her best southern drawl, "…my hero…a knight in shining armor, although…I'd like to see Al in some chainmail…" she winked at the blonde.

They began descending the steps, Alex following closely behind.

"Don't you dare drop her," Alex warned.

"I got it, Allie…I do this to Case all the time…"

Olivia looked at Casey as they approached the bottom. "Oh, is that so? Sweeps you off of your feet, does he?"

Jonathan set Olivia on the ground.

"In more ways than one…" Casey winked. "I'm so glad that the surgery went well, Liv…we thought we'd give you a couple of days to get settled before this guy made his appearance and broke the peaceful silence I know you two needed…" Casey thumbed in the direction of her husband and then reached for the brunette and hugged her tightly.

Kimberly and Katie then offered the brunette hugs as well, smiling up at her with their sweet faces.

Alex handed her wife the crutches and Olivia placed them beneath her arm pits.

"Where're the kids?" the brunette tried as she began to slowly hobble forth.

No one answered, but the group continued moving down the hallway, at Olivia's chosen speed.

"Where are—"

"Surprise!" The three of them yelled as they entered the living area.

The living room was decorated with balloons in a rainbow of colors, streamers here and there, draped across the expanse of the high ceiling of the space, posters on the walls declaring, Welcome Home, Mama!, We Missed You!, and Get Well Soon!

It was the best welcoming the brunette had ever received.

"Oh, my babies!" the brunette whined as the three approached carefully, hugging her so as not to knock her over.

"We missed you, Mama!" Isabel's sweet voice commented.

"I missed you, too, Izzie…" Olivia looked down at Grace who was smiling up at her with that sweet, angelic grin.

"I missed you, Mama…you OK?"

"Yeah, Baby…it's over so now I can just work on being in the Olympics next year," she winked.

"Olympics, huh?" Theo's deep voice questioned from the kitchen.

The brunette smiled as she watched their son in an apron and a white shirt and tie and pressed black pants, bring a casserole dish of, what looked like, lasagna to the kitchen table. He set it down and then moved to his mother.

"Hey, Mama…" he pulled her into a hug as everyone sat around the table, Alex waiting next to the chair to help her wife. "Nice video, by the way…" he chuckled softly.

Olivia furrowed her brow and then a small memory began to creep into her brain. James Brown? Burger? What had she said? "Nitrous oxide, Theo…nothing else…" she winked.

"Uh-huh…sure…" he smiled. "My true mother comes out…"

Everyone sat and Alex helped her wife into a chair before the brunette turned to her and smiled, cupping her face gently, "Thank you, Alex…" she turned to everyone at the table, looking at her family over adoringly, "…thank you everyone for such a wonderful homecoming and surprise…I feel so blessed to have you all with me through this…" Olivia felt her eyes fill with tears as she eyed her family.

"And your favorite, Mama!" Isabel offered. "Chocolate mousse!"

"Izzie…that's part of the surprise!" Grace was almost indignant as she scowled at her sister's divulgence.

"Whoops…" Isabel claimed before looking sheepishly around, the entire group erupting in laughter.

Jonathan had carried Olivia back upstairs around ten that evening, just as the Cabots left to leave the Benson-Cabots to their evening. Now, the two ladies lay together, in the darkness of the bedroom, ready for sleep.

Alex moved closer to her wife and slithered her arm around her waist. "Therapy starts tomorrow, Liv…Dr. Glashow said once the swelling goes down it's time to get it back."

Olivia nodded, "Yeah, I know…"

"How does it feel?" Alex questioned.

"Painkillers wore off about an hour ago and it was aching, stinging in the back, where the tendon was removed…but I'm gonna try no codeine and see how it goes tomorrow. For tonight, I took one so I can sleep."

Olivia felt Alex nod against her shoulder as she wrapped her arm tighter around the blonde.

"OK, Liv…"

"I'm tired…" Olivia's voice was depleted.

The evening was beautiful and she couldn't have asked for a better welcoming by her children, her wife, and her family that meant more than anything in the world.

A/N: I hope you liked it…Olivia and Alex's talk before the surgery, New Year's Eve, the surgery itself, Olivia and her comments after surgery;)

Then, the family welcoming…As always, I would love to hear from you and what you thought.

As always,

Patricia